The Latest: 39 cases of E. coli in Northwest outbreak

Nov. 04, 2015

SEATTLE (AP) — The latest in an E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in Washington state and Oregon (all times local):

2 p.m.

A total of 39 people have been sickened with E. coli in the outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in the Pacific Northwest.

Oregon health officials revised their number of cases down to 10 on Wednesday after further testing revealed some of the people previously suspected of being part of the outbreak had an unrelated illness.

Washington health officials added four people to their count of E. coli cases related to the outbreak, making the Washington state total 29 as of Wednesday.

Neither Washington nor Oregon health officials are reporting any progress in finding the source of the E. coli bacteria, although they continue to test fresh food samples from Chipotle restaurants in Washington state and the Portland area.

Chipotle officials say eight restaurants are connected to the outbreak, but they have voluntarily closed all Chipotle outlets in Washington state as well as their restaurants in the Portland, Oregon, area.

____

12:45 p.m.

Washington health officials are reporting four more confirmed cases of E. coli in the outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in the Pacific Northwest.

That brings the total number of people sickened by E. coli in Washington and Oregon to 41. Oregon also is expected to update its numbers on Wednesday afternoon.

Washington health officials say the illness has apparently spread to one new county in the state, Whatcom County, which is near the Canadian border.

Chipotle says eight restaurants are connected to the outbreak. They have voluntarily closed all Chipotle outlets in Washington state and the restaurants in the Portland, Oregon, area.